Wayfair Sofa Review: Out with the orange couch, in with the purple Andover Mills Dewitt Sectional

I tend to get sentimentally attached to furniture. (Weird, I know.) And my retro orange couch and me have been through a lot in four years. I bought the bright orange, That 70's Show-worthy sofa from a lovely couple on Craigslist, right before moving out of my college town and to a new city for my first "big girl" job. It sat in my grandma's garage while I crashed with G and hunted for my own place. But eventually, it ended up my first all-to-myself apartment.

8 Grownup Ways to Style The Little Artist Shelf from Minted

You guys, I'm so excited to share this post today because this shelf is aaahhhh-mazing. I've been eyeing picture ledge shelves for a while now, but I couldn't find something "just right." Until Minted debuted their new collection of art shelves and photo ledges.

Yes, that Minted. The online marketplace that sells oh-so-lovely stationary, wedding invitations, and artwork—all created by independent artists and designers. Lately, they've expanded into home products, too. Pillows, curtains, table linens, holiday decor—you can shop it all. But these shelves are exactly what I was looking for.

Dream Come True: My New, Big, Lush Plant—No Green Thumb or Upkeep Required

What's one thing that your house or decor is missing?  For me, the answer is plants. You see, I lack a green thumb.

Last year, I tried to grow herbs on my kitchen window sill. Apparently, I over-watered. A couple years before that, a co-worker gifted me with her pretty desk plant when she landed a new job but couldn't take the plant home since it was not safe for cats. I had no cats at the time, but the plant didn't live very long in my apartment. There was also that time I had a fuzzy little succulent. I don't remember what happened to it. The only plant I ever managed to keep alive for a good length of time was a lovely orchid, but it succumbed to the cold when I made the move from apartment to our house last spring.

A Fresh Gift Idea for the Person on Your List Who has Everything

It's nearly Christmas! Tell me that I'm not alone in the panic of still having a few more presents to buy for people on my gift giving list?! It's been a busy winter so far—so much that I haven't been able to whip up my usual gift guides or even share a holiday tour of my seasonal decor. But I do want to share this fresh and oh-so-pretty last minute gift idea with you just in case you're having trouble thinking of something lovely to buy that person on your list who has everything.

Operation: Reupholster the Dining Room Chairs (AKA: Overcoming DIY Fears)

The Lovely Side partnered with DecoratorsBest for this project post.

All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

The blog hasn't been super busy lately—and for that, my lovelies, I apologize. But we have been busy here in our old house. Peeling wallpaper. Repairing plaster walls. And taking on first-time DIY projects, like this one. I reupholstered my dining room chairs!

Get the look of stained glass—affordable and temporary!

In my office, my desk sits in front of a nice bay window that faces east and looks out over the neighborhood. For six hours of the workday, I love it. But from 8 AM to around 10 AM, the sun is in a position high enough to peek over the trees, but not so high that it's over the house. So it's a really bright, sunny spot to sit in the morning—sometimes it's hard to even see my computer screen. (Now I know why the previous dwellers had a strange window blind that only went halfway down. I took that down a long time ago.)

So I've been brainstorming ideas to tame the morning sunlight a bit—without blocking up my window with blinds. I found myself inspired by the real, original-to-the-house stained glass window in our living room. It looks like this:

Ideas for Gathering: How to Host a Girls' Night In

This post brought to you by Burt’s Bees . The content and opinions expressed below are that of The Lovely Side.

Somewhere between college and the real world, good old-fashioned girls' nights went from being a weekend given to a special occasion. Girlfriends grow up, move part, score "big girl jobs," and get our own places. It's so much fun to look back on the memories though. Gathering at a friend's apartment. Getting gussied up. And going out for a girls' night on the town.

Gift Ideas with Caldrea's Summer Entertaining Kit (Get one for free!)

Summer—'tis the season for bridal showers and weddings. Not to mention college students heading off to college dorms and many moving into their first apartments. And, of course, a housewarming party here or there. I love gift-giving for these special occasions, but it's easy to end up stumped trying to find a balance between budget, function, and style. 

Get a free Caldrea Summer Entertaining Kit (Your kitchen will thank you—and smell lovely!)

Cleaning should smell good.

I have a confession to make: I'm a compulsive cleaner in the kitchen. No, not because I'm afraid of germs. And not because we're extra messy cooks. But because I love the smell of my cleaning products. Lovely-scented countertop spray makes wiping down the kitchen a delight. And dish soap that smells good and doesn't eat away at my hands? That makes washing the dishes that can't go into the dishwasher so much more bearable. I just really enjoy walking into a clean kitchen that smells of rhubarb... or basil... or radish... or currently: pear blossom agave. Mmmm.

Bug Off! | Getting rid of unwanted guests of the 6- and 8-legged variety

To know me is to know I'm afraid of anything with more than four legs - except butterflies. After over a month of living together in our new-to-us, 105-year-old house in a semi-rural small town... G is just finding this out. He's come home to a beetle trapped under a mason jar, fireplace wrapped in tape to keep honeybees out, and me nearly in tears because there were two wasps upstairs.

One of the biggest, scariest adventures in having our own house has been dealing with the uninvited guests. The job has mostly fallen to me since I work from home... and our house is now also my office. So far, I've been pestered by ants, spiders, bees, wasps, and a solitary beetle. And with two furry co-workers - errr, uh... cats - I want to keep my extermination methods as eco-friendly and pet-safe as possible. And I thought I'd share my product reviews and recommendations with you!

Let's get down to the creepy crawlers, shall we?

My New Stay Fresh Essential: Dove Dry Spray

So excited to partner with Dove in spreading the word about their Dove Dry Spray antiperspirant. 

My love for Dove is no secret. Their soap bar is always in my shower and it's my go-to for washing my sensitive face. So I jumped at the chance when Dove invited me to #TryDry - as in, try out their award-winning Dove Dry Spray antiperspirant in my beauty routine.

You might not think of your antiperspirant as a beauty item, but it's definitely part of mine. If I had to leave the house with only three beauty items on... it'd be: antiperspirant, mascara, and a bold lipstick. In that order.

The verdict on Dove Dry Spray? Smitten.

Here's why Dove Dry Spray is now a staple on my bathroom vanity and a must-have in my purse:

Treat Yourself this Valentine's Day with Scent Trunk

Romantically involved or not, Valentine's Day is a perfect excuse to spoil yourself a little bit. One of my favorite things to treat myself to is a nice fragrance. It's one of those things that I like to pick out for myself because I have a picky nose and a family member, friend, or significant other might not know which scents I love (almond, vanilla, peony) and which I loathe (powder, rose, patchouli). 

The downside to standing in the beauty department trying out perfumes? For one, it's overwhelming. I try on fragrances, get them mixed up, and can't remember which was which. And two, it does take out the element of surprise. Would it be fun if you could treat yourself and still be surprised?

Winter Dry Skin Solutions: Dr. Teal's Lavender Epsom Salt

Winter wreaks havoc on my skin. The cold air and dry heat join forces, leaving me with dry, flaky, itchy skin - especially on my arms and legs. One day, I looked at my arm and saw legit scales flaking off. Horrifying. I tend toward dry skin anyway. (So much so that I actually love summer humidity... it makes my skin feel so soft!) But in these harsh Iowa winters, I have to take extra care to make sure I don't dry up by springtime.

My go-to methods: exfoliating and moisturizing. I was thrilled to be selected for Influenster's recent Cheers to You VoxBox because inside, I received a full-sized bag of Dr. Teal's Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution - the lavender "Soothe and Sleep" scent!

Burt's Bees Lipstick That Loves You Back

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Burt’s Bees. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've been a Burt's Bees devotee since buying my first little tin of the minty-fresh lip balm in high school. Nowadays, you'll find everything from Burt's Bees balms to bath and body products scattered throughout my bathroom. (And I never go a day without the Radiance Day Lotion.) Mostly, the lip shimmers and lip balms have served as daily go-to products. But I've been missing something. Because, you see... I'm a lipstick girl at heart.

So my heart when pitter-patter when I glimpsed the new Burt's Bees Lipsticks in Target. And then it nearly skipped a beat when I was asked to offer up my honest review. 

JORD Wood Watches + 10 Ways to Style Wooden Timepieces

I love wood jewelry and watches for two reasons. 1) Wood is such a gorgeous and unique alternative to metals. And 2) I'm allergic to a lot of metals, so the less I can expose myself to whatever makes me red, itchy, and scratchy, the better! In the last few years, I've accumulated a little collection of wooden necklaces, bracelets, and rings, but I was missing one key piece: a watch!

JORD is a company that hand-makes luxury, wood watches. When they offered to send me one of their timepieces to review on the blog, I picked out the Sully model in red sandalwood. I love my watches to be either tiny and dainty or big and bulky. The Sully model is a big, eye-catching watch and the red sandalwood color is a rich, auburn-toned hue. (If big watches aren't your thing, JORD offers smaller watches, too.)

Transforming My Living Room with a Large Oil Painting

I think one of the hardest places to decorate is the area over a couch. Sure, a gallery wall looks great. But I already have one in my office and two gallery walls in one small space is not my ideal. I prefer something that makes a bigger, bolder impact - like a large painting that occupies most of the wall. For a while, the wall was blank. Then, I hung my Gone with the Wind poster up. And it just kinda floated there - in an expanse of purple wall. So when 1st Art Gallery offered me a hand-painted piece of art to review earlier this summer, I couldn't say no!

1st Art Gallery is an oil reproduction company that creates and supplies made-to-order oil on canvas paintings to clients in over 120 countries around the world. All of their paintings are hand painted to order - on campus - by the most talented reproduction artists available and using the finest oil paint and materials on the market. (You can watch videos of how their paintings are made here.)

Holiday Decorating (and Smelling!) | Air Wick Holiday Scents Giveaway (Closed)

It's the most wonderful time of the year! (At least, I'm just telling myself that until I'm no longer wishing I were in sundresses and sandals. Ahhh, summertime, how I miss thee.) But really, once I get past the shock of the first snow (last weekend) and my hardy Iowan spirit sets in, there's a lot to love about winter. Mostly: the holidays.

It's time to hunker down and get cozy. 'Tis the season for sipping hot cocoa and eggnog, spending time with loved ones, eating savory meals, wearing those super-soft fleece pants all day long, decorating the house in a festive spirit, and (of course) enjoying the delightful holiday scents like fresh pine and warm cookies. Those scents (and those fleece pants) are just such a magical part of this time of year.

Speaking of those wonderful scents, Air Wick sent me over some of their holiday scented candles and scented wax melts to help create the holiday atmosphere in my home!

Vintage Meets Modern: Tivoli Audio Model One BT Bluetooth Radio Review

This post brought to you by Tivoli Audio. The content and opinions expressed below are that of The Lovely Side.

From the sleek, compact design to the circular knobs and speakers, I've always had a soft spot for vintage radios - especially the mid-century modern ones. Despite being easy to find hiding in antique stores and thrift shops, they're not always in working order - and obviously, not caught up with today's tech. So when Tivoli Audio gave me the opportunity to pick out and review one of their new Model One BT Bluetooth radios, I swooned over the collection of radios that combined a timeless vintage look with modern convenience. And seriously... how lovely does it look on my tv stand?!

Anthology Candles Giveaway: Scents inspired by your favorite music, books, and movies (Closed)

Thanks to Anthology Candles, my lovely little Victorian apartment now smells like Scarlett's southern plantation! ;)

The other day, my boyfriend asked "What would you like to do this weekend?" He laughed when I told him that I wanted to visit a little shop down the road and smell all the candles.

I love candles. I love how they smell. I love how they set the mood for writing, for cleaning, for cuddling with my cats while binge-watching historical period drama. I love how they make wonderful, usable gifts - to give and receive.

I'm super excited to introduce you to Anthology Candles. The handcrafted, all-natural, soy candles are inspired by music, books, and movies. The scents are completely unique and ideal gifts for the unique, hard-to-buy-for. There's one inspired by Ed Sheeran's romantic Thinking Out Loud. Another, called The Great Pumpkin, is a spiced pumpkin ode to Charlie Brown. You'll even find one inspired by the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. I love the variety.

At home with the Lenovo™: 500 Bluetooth® Speaker | Review & Giveaway

Music makes my world go round. I have a playlist for everything. At work, I'm usually listening to a folksy, focused playlist for writing and an upbeat mix for coding emails. At home, I like to jam to the nostalgic tunes of my youth (Backstreet Boys and Spice Girls) while cleaning. And when I finally wind down for the night to blog or work on my novel, I put on an inspiring mix of Daughter, Halsey, Lana Del Rey, and Bastille.

Music sets the mood. Music inspires. And music evokes (and makes) memories.

But what good is it when you can't hear it from the other room?